Association of blood ethanol positivity with medico-legal injury severity and injury patterns in trauma resulting from interpersonal violence

Alper Özkök; Kübra Saydan Pakdil; Müge Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş; Emre Gürkan Bulutluöz; Mehmet Ali Aslaner

Association of blood ethanol positivity with medico-legal injury severity and injury patterns in trauma resulting from interpersonal violence

Abstract

Aims: Alcohol consumption is frequently associated with interpersonal violence, but its relationship with injury severity and injury patterns in interpersonal violence remains insufficiently characterized. This study investigated the associations between blood ethanol positivity and medico-legal injury severity, assessed according to the national simple medical intervention (SMI) classification, as well as anatomic injury patterns in adults presenting to the emergency department following interpersonal violence. Methods: Adult patients presenting to a tertiary emergency department between January 2024 and July 2025 with ICD-10 codes related to interpersonal violence were identified through the electronic hospital information system retrospectively. Cases without confirmed interpersonal violence or without blood ethanol testing were excluded. The remaining 586 cases were included; demographic and medical data were recorded. Injury severity was evaluated using the national standard forensic guideline and classified as (1) can be treated or (2) cannot be treated with SMI. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of injuries that could not be treated with SMI. Results: The face (62.8%), upper extremities (39.8%), and scalp (33.4%) were the most commonly injured body regions. Overall, 25.4% of cases were ethanol-positive, and 21.5% sustained injuries that could not be treated with SMI. Ethanol positivity was more frequent in nighttime than daytime presentations (33.1% vs. 13.5%, p<0.001). Ethanol-positive cases were more likely than ethanol-negative cases to sustain injuries that could not be treated with SMI (30.2% vs. 18.5%, p=0.003). After adjustment, male gender (adjusted OR 2.699, 95% CI 1.537–4.741, p<0.001), facial injuries (adjusted OR 3.563, 95% CI 2.114–6.007, p<0.001), and ethanol positivity (adjusted OR 1.736, 95% CI 1.096–2.750, p=0.019) remained independent predictors of injuries that could not be treated with SMI. Conclusion: These findings contribute to the understanding of factors associated with medico-legal injury severity in interpersonal violence. Further prospective, multicenter studies incorporating detailed information on assault characteristics and blood ethanol concentrations at the time of injury are warranted to further clarify the relationship between alcohol intoxication and medico-legal injury severity.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The study was initiated with the approval of the Gazi University Ethics Commission (Date: September 18, 2025, Approval No. 2025-1515).

Thanks

The authors would like to thank Ömer Faruk AKÇAY and Özant HELVACI for their contributions.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Emergency Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Forensic Epidemiology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Alper Özkök ^*
0000-0002-0521-5954
Türkiye

Kübra Saydan Pakdil
0009-0006-3762-3510
Türkiye

Müge Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş
0009-0003-7363-459X
Türkiye

Emre Gürkan Bulutluöz
0009-0001-5012-0591
Türkiye

Mehmet Ali Aslaner
0000-0002-7851-7881
Türkiye

Publication Date

October 25, 2026

Submission Date

July 23, 2026

Acceptance Date

August 25, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 7 Number: 5

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA55KB92YH

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Özkök, A., Saydan Pakdil, K., Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş, M., Bulutluöz, E. G., & Aslaner, M. A. (2026). Association of blood ethanol positivity with medico-legal injury severity and injury patterns in trauma resulting from interpersonal violence. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care, 7(5), 935-941. https://izlik.org/JA55KB92YH

AMA

1.Özkök A, Saydan Pakdil K, Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş M, Bulutluöz EG, Aslaner MA. Association of blood ethanol positivity with medico-legal injury severity and injury patterns in trauma resulting from interpersonal violence. J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac. 2026;7(5):935-941. https://izlik.org/JA55KB92YH

Chicago

Özkök, Alper, Kübra Saydan Pakdil, Müge Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş, Emre Gürkan Bulutluöz, and Mehmet Ali Aslaner. 2026. “Association of Blood Ethanol Positivity With Medico-Legal Injury Severity and Injury Patterns in Trauma Resulting from Interpersonal Violence”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 7 (5): 935-41. https://izlik.org/JA55KB92YH.

EndNote

Özkök A, Saydan Pakdil K, Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş M, Bulutluöz EG, Aslaner MA (October 1, 2026) Association of blood ethanol positivity with medico-legal injury severity and injury patterns in trauma resulting from interpersonal violence. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 7 5 935–941.

IEEE

[1]A. Özkök, K. Saydan Pakdil, M. Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş, E. G. Bulutluöz, and M. A. Aslaner, “Association of blood ethanol positivity with medico-legal injury severity and injury patterns in trauma resulting from interpersonal violence”, J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 935–941, Oct. 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA55KB92YH

ISNAD

Özkök, Alper - Saydan Pakdil, Kübra - Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş, Müge - Bulutluöz, Emre Gürkan - Aslaner, Mehmet Ali. “Association of Blood Ethanol Positivity With Medico-Legal Injury Severity and Injury Patterns in Trauma Resulting from Interpersonal Violence”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 7/5 (October 1, 2026): 935-941. https://izlik.org/JA55KB92YH.

JAMA

1.Özkök A, Saydan Pakdil K, Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş M, Bulutluöz EG, Aslaner MA. Association of blood ethanol positivity with medico-legal injury severity and injury patterns in trauma resulting from interpersonal violence. J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac. 2026;7:935–941.

MLA

Özkök, Alper, et al. “Association of Blood Ethanol Positivity With Medico-Legal Injury Severity and Injury Patterns in Trauma Resulting from Interpersonal Violence”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care, vol. 7, no. 5, Oct. 2026, pp. 935-41, https://izlik.org/JA55KB92YH.

Vancouver

1.Alper Özkök, Kübra Saydan Pakdil, Müge Kapıcıoğlu Değdaş, Emre Gürkan Bulutluöz, Mehmet Ali Aslaner. Association of blood ethanol positivity with medico-legal injury severity and injury patterns in trauma resulting from interpersonal violence. J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac [Internet]. 2026 Oct. 1;7(5):935-41. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA55KB92YH